Looking Forward To...

Elysium
Release: August 9, 2013
Distributor: TriStar
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Diego Luna, Alice Braga, William Fichtner, and Sharlto Copley

Birthday Girl: Lisa Kudrow

Today Lisa Kudrow, my favorite Friends, turns 50 and as much success as she has had, doesn't it always feel like she should have more? Certainly most everyone seems to agree that she should've gotten an Oscar nomination for her great work in The Opposite of Sex and while she has already won an Emmy for Friends, she really deserved more than a sole nomination for The Comeback. I'd just love it if some big-time director crafted a movie role just for her perhaps where she plays Michelle Williams caustic mother/older sister in some dark comedy.

In the meantime, she's not exactly doing nothing. Last week, the two main projects she's been working on recently had their season premieres, her reality show Who Do You Think You Are? and her Showtime series Web Therapy which I briefly talked about a few years ago when it was just a simple web series. Unfortunately, I haven't seen Web Therapy since it moved offline, but from what I've heard the high quality evident in the web series is still very much there. I'll catch up eventually! I also saw her recently on Hollywood Game Night where she was on a team with Martin Short and Alyson Hannigan and competed against her old Friends co-star Matthew Perry.

Speaking of Friends, Kudrow will always have Phoebe Buffay and no one can ever take that away from her. So to celebrate her birthday, everyone should watch this compilation of all the songs Kudrow sang on Friends:

Michelle Williams Striking in Louis Vuitton

The pictures above and below of Michelle Williams made the rounds a few days ago, but I just wanted to share, because I thought they were striking. The three-time Oscar nominee is captured almost like never before by photographer Peter Lindberg in a Louis Vuitton ad for one of their signature bags. I'm not really into fashion ads and all that, but she looks fierce. Her transitioning hair is windswept to great effect and the darker elements of her makeup really highlights a different side to the usually twee Williams.

In a statement, Louis Vuitton said about picking the actress for their campaign:

"Michelle Williams was selected by Louis Vuitton for her independent spirit with which she has forged her path through Hollywood, defined by her outstanding talent, her passion for her craft, and her choice of daring and challenging roles."

Looking Forward To...

Blue Jasmine
Release: July 26, 2013
Distributor: Sony Classics
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Louis C.K., Sally Hawkins, Bobby Cannavale, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alden Ehrenreich, and Alex Baldwin

X-Men Teaser Posters Marks the Spot

Apparently the X-Men panel at Comic Con over the weekend went gangbusters with a first look to next year's film X-Men: Days of Future Past as well as a reunion of the large cast consisting of members from the old and new franchises including Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender (who play the old and young Magneto respectively) and Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy (who play the old and young Professor X respectively).

I have nothing but high hopes and best wishes for the upcoming film and the franchise as a whole despite a couple of seriously regrettable films (X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) which nearly derailed the whole franchise. But if the new teaser posters featuring the four actors I mentioned above are of any indication to the quality of the film, then this will be their best one yet.

I mean, right? The design concept is perfectly executed allowing them to feature the main actors while also giving a nod to the time-travel aspect in the film. Plus those colored Xs are just so damn cool. I'm hoping the rest of their marketing is just as well done.

HIMYM at Comic Con

As lead up to its much-awaited final season, How I Met Your Mother made its first appearance at this weekend Comic Con. It may be weird to some, but it makes sense if you realize that the cast is made up of Willow Rosenberg, Dr. Horrible, and Agent Maria Hill.

Alan Sepinwall did a liveblog of the fairly informative session that should have put some naysayers at ease. Yes, the final season will encompass the wedding of Robin and Barney, but the event is being used more as a "framework" more than anything and the show will have freedom to do their usual narrative tricks such as flashbacks and flash-forwards to, at the very least, get us fans to learn more about the mother played by Cristin Millioti. This pleases me as it pretty much confirms my own thoughts on the show at the end of last season:

Like many people, I was upset when I heard about this news at first, but I've come around to appreciating the daring structure for the season and hope there'll at least be some flashbacks or flash-forwards to fill in some blanks. It may sound like I'm being yet again defensive for this show, but one of the unique elements of this show (and one of the reason why I loved it so) is its willingness to shake up its storytelling structure. So it's quite possible that this final season could very well be a tour de force.

I'm starting to get excited about the new season now! In any case, head over to Sepinwall's site for a lot more information from the panel, but I had to share the video that opened the session of Ted's kids, now all grown up, putting an epic and hilarious smackdown to their long-winded father:

Orlando Bloom Heatwave

We've been suffering an oppressive heatwave here in New York City the past week so I guess you can't really blame Orlando Bloom for walking around shirtless a couple days ago while walking his dog...

I guess there was at least one silver lining to this heat.

Looking Forward To...

Only God Forgives
Release: July 19, 2013
Distributor: Radius-TWC
Director: Nicholas Winding Refn
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm,  Yayaying Rhatha Phongam, Gordon Brown, and Tom Burke

My Emmy Ballot: TV Series

Emmy nominations are tomorrow! Are you excited? I'm not really. As much as I love TV and awards shows and am genuinely happy when my favorites are honored, I've become so jaded the past few years. It's not as if there have been many more unworthy repeat nominations and winners the past few years compared to a decade ago, but I wasn't really blogging about it then! But I'll still pore over the nominations tomorrow and maybe even wake up early to see House of Card's Kate Mara and Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul announce the nominees. For now, my picks for best TV series...

Disclaimer: Even though they only nominate 5-6 shows, voters are asked to pick "no more than 10" shows they "feel worthy of nomination." So I'll be picking 10, but making sure to highlight the 6 shows making up my top choices.

COMEDY SERIES
Arrested Development
Ben and Kate
Girls
New Girl
Parks and Recreation
Veep
30 Rock
Community
Happy Endings
How I Met Your Mother

I fully expect last year's nominees Veep, Girls, and 30 Rock to make it in again with the latter celebrating its final season. The rest of my list will find it a bit more difficult. I'm hoping my favorite sitcom Parks and Recreation makes it in the short list like it did two years ago, but more likely voters might want to nominate resurrected Arrested Development, which has been nominated for each of its season. The growth of New Girl and the absolute charm of Ben and Kate would get them in if it was a fair playing field, but alas.

Alternates: Big Bang Theory, Cougar Town, Modern Family, Suburgatory

DRAMA SERIES
The Americans
Breaking Bad
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
Orphan Black
Shameless
Downton Abbey
Elementary
Homeland
House of Cards

My drama wishlist is a bit more in line with Emmy's taste than comedy so I'm almost always okay with their selection here. My biggest wish would be for new shows to break through like The Americans or Orphan Black (or even Elementary or House of Cards). I highly doubt they will though (though Cards does have star power and novelty factor in its favor), but even their mainstay Mad Men is one of my favorite shows, so I'm not too bothered. Last year nominees Breaking Bad, Homeland, and Game of Thrones will surely make a return trip, especially the latter which had a higher quality season than last. I do wonder if Downton Abbey will be back or if the last year's snubbed The Good Wife will take its place. It's an embarrassment of riches surely.

Alternates: Dexter, Fringe, Hannibal, Mad Men, Vikings, The Walking Dead

And that's all I wrote before the real nominations disappoint me tomorrow. I just hope there's one or two pleasant surprises in store. For my acting nomination wishlists, click the following: Leading / Supporting / Guest.

My Emmy Ballot: Leading Performances

It felt like pulling teeth trying to narrow down my picks for the guest and supporting categories. Fortunately, when it comes to the lead categories, the fact that there are less people in contention makes the whole endeavor just the much easier. Though The Drama categories was particularly difficult as you'll see...

Disclaimer: Only performances I have seen are qualified and I'm going to honor the category the actors have chosen to submit themselves in, even when I think it's ultimately wrong.

Lead Actor, Comedy
Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
Jake Johnson, New Girl
Joel McHale, Community
Jim Parsons, Big Bang Theory
Adam Scott, Parks & Recreation
Elijah Wood, Wilfred

I actually haven't finished the latest season of Arrested Development, but after catching up on the series a month ago and seeing a handful of episodes this season, I'll make an exception for Bateman who seems to now play the character much less straight than in previous seasons. Johnson is the show's MVP this season if I had to pick one displaying his penchant for physical comedy and his great chemistry with Zooey in equal measures. Scott, Parsons, McHale, and Wood are past nominees for me and with the relatively small number of people in contention for this category it's not so shocking I picked them again. Scott especially blows the charts chemistry-wise with his co-star Poehler. Shout out to Radnor below who plays a divisive character on a show many people have fell out of love with, but his "scene" with the titular mother last season was a series highlight.

Alternates: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Justin Bartha & Andrew Rannells (The New Normal), Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope), Rob Lowe (Parks & Recreation), Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother)

Lead Actress, Comedy
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Dakota Johnson, Ben & Kate
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation

I made it a point not to nominate Deschanel and Dunham last year, because their show was too new and I believe the hype for either one was too premature. Glad to say that they really stepped it up for their second seasons with Deschanel playing more of a character and less as the personification of adorkable and Dunham really taking her character in a darker place. Johnson, as is her sadly cancelled show, was just super charming. Then there's the triumvirate of Fey, Poehler, and Louis-Dreyfus. As if I need to say any more about why I picked these three queens of comedy. But as much as I love Fey (last season) or Louis-Dreyfus (Veep is awesome), Poehler needs an Emmy like whoa! Shout out to Kaling below who had a rough start, but did okay towards the end.

Alternates: Courtney Cox (Cougar Town), Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development), Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project), Jane Levy (Suburgatory), Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope)

Lead Actor, Drama
Andre Braugher, Last Resort
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Hugh Dancy, Hannibal
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jonny Lee Miller, Elementary
Matthew Rhys, The Americans

Hamm should have an Emmy by now and my favorites last year (Lewis/Lincoln) did fabulous work this year. So the fact that they didn't end up in my short list shows you how strong this category is this year. Veterans Cranston and Hall doing great work in their penultimate seasons, giving longtime fans new sides to their characters. My other picks are from new shows! Dancy channeled his inner Carrie Mathison to affective results (every episode I wanted to give him a hug) while Rhys surprised me with his range in a role that I first thought he was miscast at. Then there's Braugher who is always good at everything he does, especially when he plays someone of authority. Finally, Miller was my most pleasant surprise this season. I really doubted his ability to put a fresh spin on Sherlock Holmes, but does he ever.

Alternates: Travis Fimmel (Vikings), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Joshua Jackson (Fringe), Damian Lewis (Homeland), Andrew Lincoln (Walking Dead), Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)

Lead Actress, Drama
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Emmy Rossum, Shameless
Keri Russell, The Americans

First, I'd like to praise every single woman in my honorable mentions list because I love them all. Liu's Watson and Winnick's Lagertha are two of my favorite new characters of the past season. Now that we got that out of the way, can we talk about Maslany? If you haven't seen her show, do it now. She plays about nine or so characters and it's brilliant, shades of Fringe's Torv. Russell, like co-star Rhys, surprised me in a role I never thought I would see her in, but she really is excellent. Danes, Dockery, Moss, and Rossum are past nominees from me and this past season they just re-affirm my love for them. Rossum in particular doesn't get enough attention for career-best work.

Alternates: Connie Britton (Nashville), Lucy Liu (Elementary), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Katheryn Winnick (Vikings), Robin Wright (House of Cards)

And that's it for the actors! How insane am I to leave of Hamm or Marguilies in my short list? Feel free to berate me. And I'm serious about watching Orphan Black. Do it now. Tomorrow, for my final post, I'll post my pics for Best Comedy and Drama Series.